Stanchion assembly



Nov. 14, 1967 F. SEERY STANCHION ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1966 v INVENTOR. Passer F. see-2y ArroeAMFV United States Patent ()fifice 3,352,084 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 3,352,084 STANCHION ASSEMBLY Robert F. Seery, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Julius Blum & Co., Inc., Carlstadt, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 519,266 Claims. (Cl. 52-721) This invention relates to a stanchion assembly, and more particularly to a support assembly for mounting hand rails, bannister sections and like articles.

The invention relates further to a novel post assembly of the type described, on which may 'be readily mounted bracket arms and like supportive members.

This invention relates further to an assembly of the type described wherein installation is greatly simplified and wherein a minimum of on the job fabrication is required, the components lending themselves to the use of stock sizes with only minor on the job modifications.

The invention further relates to a structural assembly of the type described including an inner post assembly which may be mounted in a desired position on a Wall or bulkhead, an outer sleeve assembly, and a cap assembly, the sleeve and cap assemblies being mountable over and subsequent to the afiixation of, the post assembly, the composite of sleeve and cap assemblies being rigidly secured over the supportive post by bracket arm means, said bracket arm means functioning, in addition, to carry a hand rail, bannister or similar device.

The invention further relates to a device of the class described, incorporating a novel locking spring assembly wherein the tightening of a single component, namely, the bracket arm, securely locks each of the parts to the others against relative movement.

In the past, the installation of stanchion assemblies has required a great deal of on the job fabrication, including a considerable amount of cutting and shaping of stock materials to fit varying job conditions. A great deal of care was necessary in effecting the installation to avoid marring or disfigurement of the support components. Also, it was considered necessary to employ a multiplicity of complex fastener mechanisms, such as multiple machine screws driven into tapped apertures, etc. to assure that the various stanchion assemblies would not loosen in use, and that the individual parts of said assemblies would not develop rattles or the like.

- Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved stanchion assembly of the type described.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved assembly wherein on the job fabrication is reduced to a minimum, thus permitting a distributor to stock a minimum of individual components, the components being adapted, by minor on the job operations, to fit a wide range of installations.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stanchion assembly if the type described wherein the support post assembly is encased within a decorative cover assembly, the cover assembly being mountable to the post assembly by preformed connecting apparatus so that the rough installation work may be covered or encased within a decorative sheath, the application of which sheath may be readily effected without fear of marring or disfiguring the sheath.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and more particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

' FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stanchion assembly in accordance with the invention, in this instance shown supporting a hand rail;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the elements of the stanchion prior to assembly;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional View taken along line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the retaining spring for maintaining the parts in locked, predetermined position, and showing the positions of the spring before and after application of clamping pressure; and

FIG. 9 is a detailed sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a stanchion assembly 10 comprising an inner post assem bly 11 and an outer, decorative sheathing assembly 12.

The post assembly, which may be affixed in vertical or any other desired position to a bulkhead or wall 13, comprises a longitudinally extended upright post or stanchion 14, generally cylindrical in cross section but having a longitudinally extending fiat 15. The post or stanchion 14, adjacent the lower end 16 thereof, is provided with a pair of spaced support apertures 17, 17, each preferably an elongated slot, extending normal to the surface of the flat 15.

The post 14, adjacent its upper end 18, is provided with a threaded aperture 19 for the receipt of the bannister support bracket 20.

The post 14 is initially installed to a wall or bulkhead 13 by machine bolts 21, 21 which may be passed through the apertures 17, 17, the shanks of the bolts additionally being passed through the apertures 22, 22 in a generally rectangular spacer block 23 which is interposed between the flat 15 of the post member 14 and the surface of the bulkhead 13.

The apertures 17, 17 in the post 14 include enlarged lead recesses 17, 17', as best seen in FIG. 3, which lead apertures are of a depth sufiicient entirely to enclose the head portions 21', 21' of the bolts 21, 21, so that in the installed condition, no portion of the bolts extends laterally beyond the surface of the post 14. 7

' While in the illustrated embodiment the bolts are anchored into tapped apertures 13', 13' defined in the bulkhead 13, it will be readily recognized that, depending upon the ability to obtain access to the rear surface of the bulkhead, other fastener means, such as complemental nuts, may be employed.

The spacer block 23 functions to maintain the post 14 in spaced relation to the vertical surface of the bulkhead 13, a variation in the spacing being readily effected simply by varying the depth of the spacer block.

The post 14 is secured to the bulkhead 13 by passing the bolt 21 through the slots or apertures 17 in the post and through the circular openings 22 in block 23. Initially, the bolts 21 are lightly tightened.

Once the post assembly in any given installation is mounted in desired position, as above described, the tubular decorative cover assembly 12 may be readily applied. As will be immediately understood from the description of the mounting of the post assembly, the components of which may preferably consist of or comprise aluminum or like extrudable, structurally rigid material, any accidental abrasion or burring of the component parts in the instalgated tubular member 24, which may likewise be made of aluminurrn'the'inner diameterZS ofthe member 24-correiponding with minimal clearances to the outer diameter of the 'post' 14.

The tubular cover member 24, adjacent its lowermost end 26, is 'pr'ovidedwith an upwardly directed channel-27,

terminating in a downwardly directed portion 28.- Thelength of'the channel 27, from thelowermost end of the tubular member to the upper end 28 of the channel, preferably slightly exceeds the length -of'thespacer block 23.

The tubular member is sleeved over the upper end-of the-mounted post assembly, with the slot or channel 27 spanning the spacer block-23, the walls defining said channel lying-to eitherside of the block to prevent any significant rotary movement of the'tubular member 24 after the same is mounted.

After the tubular member has been applied in-the nian nernoted at whichtime theupperend" 18 of the post14 will'protrude above upper end 39 of the tubular member 24, a capping member 35 ispositioned on said protruding end18. Thereupon the capping. member 35 ispushed downwardlyso that the undersurface of'its closed upper end 36will engage the-upper end of the post 14, and force the latter downwardly until the loweredge 38 f thecapping'member engages the upper edge '39 of cover member 24. Such movement-of post 14 is permitted by reason of the slots 17 through which thelightly tightened bolts extend.

The capping member 35 comprises a generally-cylindrical element, including an enlarged aperture 37. The center axisof the aperture 37 is spaced from-the upper end 36 a distance to align the aperture-37 in registry with aperture 19 in the'upper end of thepost 14; when the upper end ofthe post lies against the-undersurface of the portion 36, see FIG. 4.

Thereupon; the cappingrmember 35 andtubular-member 24 are IemO-VfidflOIhlhfi post 14* and-thebolts-21 aresecurely tightened toretain" the post inproperly aligned position and the tubular member 24 is replaced on the post.-

It will be seen from theforegoing 'that the -inner 'diameter of-the-tubularmembe'r 2'4'is-spa'ced from-the outer surface of the post 14 in-thearea'of the" flat-,15, to define; a longitudinally extending. recess 2-9-between' these parts;

A locking spring 30 is then'disposed-in the upper end'of the recess 29. The locking. spring-30-, which'forrns-anirnportant feature of the invention, is generally hairpin-- shaped, comprising. aloop orneck portion 31" and longi tudinally extending legs32 ,.32'. The spring 30, throughout' its-length, is corrugated or bent to define a'-sinuous series of offset bight portions displaced withrespectto the pri-" mary planeof'thespring.

The spring is inserted into'the'recess portion so-that the legs 32-, 32- are -spread apartto-either side; of the aper ture 19 disposed'at the upper end' of-the post 14a"Since'it isa'desired-that portions of thespring be tightlybiased'between components ofboth the-tubular member 24 and the post '14, the bight portions of the" spring are preferably displaced a distance which makes the facile insertion of the spring. intotherecess" quite difficult. Accordingly, it is not necessary initially topress' the spring downwardly'to its'u'ltimate'positio'n wherein tlie' aperture'19is in registry just' beneath-"the-loop or neck portion31' of the spring. Rather, thisorientation of the spring may be effected by the-positioning-of the capping member- 35 on the upper en'd' of the'post 14;

The engagementof the upper end 31 of the spring against the undersurface of the portion 36 may be utilized to drive the spring to the desired position within the recess, the downward pressure seating the lower rim 38 of the capping member against the upper end 39 of the tubular member 24, thereby locating the apertures 19 and 37 in registry with each other and also locating the aperture defined adjacent the neck 31 of the spring in registry with the two aforementioned apertures.

The bracket arm 20 includes a projecting stud 40, threaded complementary to the threading in the aperture 19. Adjacent the root end of stud 40, the arm 20 is of enlarged diameter forming an annular shoulder 41, the diameter of such shoulder being greater than the spacing between the legs32, 32 of the spring in the area adjacent the neck of said spring.

The assembly is effected by passing the threaded stud portion 40 first through the aperture 37 of the cap;

through the now positioned neck 31' of-the spring, andthence into'the tapped aperture 19 in the .post 14. The bracket arm is rotated progressively. to advance the annular shoulder 41 into theaperture 35 and thusclampingly to press a segment of the corrugated spring tightly against the flat surface 15 of the post 14. If desired, portions of the bracket arm 20 may be provided with flats (not shown), particularly in the bannisterclampsupporting area 20a,- to facilitate the tightening of the bracket arm; Although the bannister may be'secured to the arm 20in any suitable manner, as illustratively shown, the

curved portion of a U-clamp 51 straddles the reduced portion 20a of the supporting arm 20 and the outstanding lateral flanges 52 of the clamp are secured to the undersurface of the bannister as by screws 53; A block 54 ispositioned between portion 20a and the undersurface-ofthe bannister so that when the screws53 are'tightenedthe bannister and-arm will be securely lockedtogether;

As best-seen in FIG. 8, the springinitially lies in slightly biased condition between the tubular member 24 and the post 14, the upper end of the spring being likewise slightlybiased against the inner end of the-cap. 25. However, as thebracket arm is tightened, firmly to press the spaced legs of the spring'against the flat15, the portions of the spring to either side of theclamped portion will be deflected or biased outwardly, thus casingthe spring" to assume a bowed configuration and tightly locking each of the partsin its predetermined orientation in theassembly.

It will thus be seen that the spring, in addition to acting as a lock washer for the bracket arm, also locks the cap and tube against relative movement.

Optionally but preferably, a decorative plastic or other" coating C may be applied to the tubularmember, either throughout the length of such member or for a' portionthereof, the coating permitting wide flexibility of decorating techniques.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is provided'a readily mountable stanchion assembly for supporting hand rails, bannisters and'the like. The assembly may be readily mounted by even unskilled workmen, without undue pains being'taken to avoid marring of the' surface in the course of mounting, since the same will be'ultiniately shielded by a decorative sheathing'assembly;

It will be further noted that the bracket arm forms arr-integral part of the'final assembly of the sheathing, and thatby'reason of the novel spring arrangement, all components of the sheathing structure are' tightly and permanently'clamped against looseness or rattling by'th e single act of tightening the bracket arm.

Preferably, the widthwise dimension of thechannel in the lowermost end' of the tubular cover is maintained within close tolerances of the widthwise dimension ofthe spacer block, to assure a tight fit at the lower end of the assembly, thus eliminating any possibility of looseness in this area.

As many changes could be made in the above-construction and many apparently widely diiferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A decorative stanchion assembly for supporting a handrail or the like with respect to a bulkhead, comprising an elongated .post member, a spacer block, means to securely clamp one end of said post member and said block to said bulkhead, with said block and said post extending in parallel longitudinal alignment, a cover tube encompassing said post member, said cover tube having an elongated longitudinally extending clearance slot at one end, the transverse dimension of said slot being slightly in excess of the width of said block, said block being disposed within the clearance slot, said post having a threaded aperture adjacent its other end extending laterally thereof, said cover tube terminating below said aperture, a cap member positioned on the other end of said post, said cap having an aperture in registry with the aperture in said post and a bracket arm having a threaded end movable through said cap aperture and coacting with the threaded aperture in said post.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the length of said cover tube between the upper edge of the clearance slot and the upper end of said tube is less than the length of said post member between the upper end of said spacer block and the threaded aperture in said post member.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said post member is generally cylindrical in cross section, having a flat surface extending the length thereof, defining an elongated recess with respect to said cover tube, said threaded aperture extending into said fiat surface, a locking a spring disposed in said other end of said tube at the upper end of said elongated recess, said spring including laterally spaced leg portions disposed to either side of said threaded aperture, said leg portions being bent to a sinuous configuration whereby portions of said spring are yieldably biased against both the inner surface of said tube and said flat portion of said post, said cap aperture being of greater size than the aperture of said post, said bracket arm having a shoulder portion adjacent said threaded end thereof disposed within said aperture of said cap and clampingly pressing portions of said spring against said post.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said spring has offset portions on either side of said threaded aperture which yieldably bear against the inner surface of said cap and said tube.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said block has transverse openings therethrough, said post has transverse openings therein at its lower end in registry with the block openings, retaining bolts extend through said openings into the bulkhead to clamp said post and block thereagainst and said tube extends over the ends of said bolts to conceal the latter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,904,314 9/1959 Thom 256 2,946,568 7/1960 Ogden 256-65 3,076,636 2/1963 Blum 256-65 3,256,658 6/1966 Seery 52-292 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

A. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DECORATIVE STANCHION ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPORTING A HANDRAIL OR THE LIKE WITH RESPECT TO A BULKHEAD, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED POST MEMBER, A SPACER BLOCK, MEANS TO SECURELY CLAMP ONE END OF SAID POST MEMBER AND SAID BLOCK TO SAID BULKHEAD, WITH SAID BLOCK AND SAID POST EXTENDING IN PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT, A COVER TUBE ENCOMPASSING SAID POST MEMBER, SAID COVER TUBE HAVING AN ELONGATED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CLEARANCE SLOT AT ONE END, THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF SAID SLOT BEING SLIGHTLY IN EXCESS OF THE WIDTH OF SAID BLOCK, SAID BLOCK BEING DISPOSED WITHIN 